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| Easter Sunday, 2023 (Missing our Kestra who is currently in Thailand) |
Kaselehlie! Greetings from Pohnpei!
It has been some time since our last prayer letter and we have a lot to update you with. We are thanking God for a blessed 2023 so far and pray you all are doing well also.
Furlough Plans
We have heard rumors that the covid-19 mandates here are being lifted. With that in mind, we are moving forward with furlough plans for this fall. We are tentatively planning to be in the States from September through December, once camp, VBS, and other summer activities have been completed. We will be contacting our supporting churches in the months to come as we work on our schedule. Please be in prayer that all goes well with planning and we are finally able to make definite plans. We look forward to seeing everyone in person and sharing what God has been doing in Pohnpei.
Summer Ministries
Our summer camp is always one of our biggest ministry projects of the year. Plans have been underway for quite some time now and we are looking forward to an exciting week of youth camp. Planning for when to schedule camp has had it’s challenges this year as we are looking at a very unusual summer. Because of covid hitting the island in the early part of the school year, closing the schools for quite some time, summer break will be shorter than usual. Camp will be in July this year as school does not get out until the end of June. Vacation Bible School will be shortly after that time. This year’s youth camp will cost each teen $15. If you are interested in sponsoring a teen for the camp, please contact us soon to let us know. Donations can be sent through our mission board.
The church is doing well, though we are facing a situation with many families moving to the United States in recent months. We ask that you pray with us for those that have relocated, that they will be able to get established in a good Bible-believing church right away and stay faithful to the Lord. Praise the Lord, we have seen several salvation decisions recently, including an elderly man that members of our church have prayed for for some time now.
Family
Many of you have asked about Kaleo’s progress with his back situation. We are thankful he was able to receive a diagnosis from his MRI in Guam. He has arthritis in his spine. Some dear friends on Guam were able to get him in to see a chiropractor there. After several weeks of adjustments, Kaleo saw significant improvement and was able to return home and to work nearly pain free. Since that time, he has done very well with only a few issues with back pain. Thank you to all who prayed for him.
Susan’s mom began facing some health situations with her heart and was hospitalized a few times. In March, funding was provided for Susan and the two younger girls to go and visit her parents in North Carolina. During their time there, Mom Stevens was hospitalized twice more, and we made the decision for Susan to extend their stay a little longer to help out there. Thankfully, Mom is doing much better now, but we ask that you please keep her in your prayers. Susan and the girls were able to arrive back on Pohnpei at 1:00 AM on Easter Sunday and were able to join our Easter Sunday services.
Please keep our daughter Kestra in your prayers as well as she is currently living in Thailand on an Olympic training scholarship. We miss her very much here on Pohnpei but are thankful for the opportunities she has been given. Kyler, Katrianne, and Kaylinn are our only school-age children at this time. Kyler is finishing up his senior year of high school, while Katrianne is a sophomore and Kaylinn is in 7th grade. All are busy with youth group, church activities, sports activities, and homeschool.
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. We are praying earnestly that all furlough plans will come to fruition, and Lord willing, we will be able to see many of you in person this fall.
Because of Calvary,
Rickson & Susan, Kaleo, Kestra, Kyler, Katrianne, & Kaylinn
Click here for our March, 2023 Video Update
